Shock-absorber for the handle-bars of motor-cycles.



J. P. MAcLEAN. SHOCK ABSORBER FOR THE HANDLE BARS 0F MOTOR CYCLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22. I915.

Patent-ed Maylfi, 1916.

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bar clip or socket will be pivoted.

the handle bar socket a forked arm will cistern earns anrrar cries.

JOHN PERCY MAGLEAN, 0F HAMILTON, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.

SHOCK-ABSORBER FOR THE HANDLE-BARS 0F MOTOR-CYCLES.

Application filed September 22, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN PERCY Mac- LEAN, subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Veda street, Hamilton, New South Vales, Australia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Improved Shock-Absorbers for the Handle- Bars of Motor-Cycles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is to be applied intermediately between the top of the steering stem and the handle bar, so that any shock or jolt received by the steering stem shall be absorbed before it reaches the handle bar.

In giving effect to my invention, the steering stem will be crowned by a cap from which a tiller arm will project rearward. The cap will be secured to the steering stem by a transverse pin which will act as a pivot upon which may rock two side levers,

and a link. The side levers may be shaped like a boomerang, or very obtuse angled bell-crank, the upper limb projecting from its pivot, vertically upward; between the top extremities of these limbs the handle From project rearward, and from the bell-crank pivot pin a link will extend rearward. Between the end of the forked arm and the rear end of the link, a helical spring will be installed, the axis of the spring being normally parallel with the upper limbs of the bell-crank. Another helical spring will be installed between the ends of the lower limbs of the bell-crank and the rear end of the tiller. The helical springs will be mounted in a peculiar manner which will be iore fully described when reference is being made to the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a side elevation of the combination of appliances. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the combination of devices the skeleton frame of the upper spring being shown, but the lower spring and its frame are entirely omitted. Fig. 3, is an end elevation of one of the spring frames. Fig. 4, is a side elevation of the U-shaped central part of one of the spring frames. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the free shoe that is placed at the top end of each of the springs.

A is the steering stem, B the cap that crowns its top end, C the pivot pin that secures the cap to, and prevents it from turning upon, the steering stem A, from the rear Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May f6, 1916.

Serial No. 52,134.

side of the cap 13 the tiller D will project; upon the pin 0 are pivoted the link E and the boomerang shaped bell-cranks F-Gr the limbs F projecting vertically upward, while the limbs G will incline toward the rear. Between the lower ends of the limbs G and the forked end of the tiller D, a helical spring H will be installed. Between the upper ends of the limbs F of the bellcranks, will be articulated at 7' the clip or socket J, to receive the rudimentary stem J of the handle bar J The tiller D will be provided with a segmental slot K, in any part of which the side members of the link E may be clamped by the bolt and nut e, the position of the handle bar being thereby adjusted to suit the convenience of the rider. From the rear side of the clip socket J a forked bracket arm L will project; be tween the rear ends of the bracket arm L and the link E, a helical spring M will be installed. The central axis of the spring M should, normally, be parallel with the limbs F of the bell-cranks the distance between the point C, 011 the cap, and the point 7' 011 the clip socket, should be, normally, equal to the distance between the point L, at the end of the bracket arm L and the point E, which is the axis of the roller at the end of the link E, so that the figure formed by the four points j, C, E, L, should be, normally, a parallelogram.

The way in which the helical springs are mounted is novel and peculiar. As both the springs M and H are similarly mounted, in the description, reference will only be made to the spring M; then the references to spring M will apply to spring H, allowance being made for the different points of attachment. Upon the axis E, at the rear end of the link E,is mounted a free roller 0; pivoted on the same axis E are two side cheeks P, the upper extremities of which are turned outward at right angles, as may be seen by reference to Fig. 3; between the cheeks P is placed the device Q, shown in elevation at Fig. l; the deviceQ is shaped like an inverted U, the open end being closed by a transverse bar g, the underside of which is formed as a concave curve, so as to adapt it to engage with the periphery of the free roller 0; the pin L passes through within the bend of the U; the lower ends of the inverted U are bent outward so as to form feet upon which the lower end of the spring may rest; a free shoe R, shown in perspective at Fig. 5, has its upper side so shaped that the rounded extremities of the fork at the end of the bracket arm L may engage with corresponding curves on the shoe and enable the latter to move freely, to a limited extent, in the same vertical plane with the bracket arm; the spring will be mounted intermediately between the feet of the U-shaped piece Q and the turned over ends of the cheeks P; the spring will also touch the underside of the shoe It and will maintain it in contact with the forked end of the bracket arm L. The checks P, and the device Q, really form a skeleton which is enveloped by the folds of the spring M, and insure the spring being, and remaining, properly centered between the bearing points at the top and at the bottom. Moreover, the free roller 0 at the bottom end of the spring and the free shoe, at the top end thereof, will materially assist the spring in automatically adjusting itself to the varying conditions which will prevail when the bell-cranks FGr move backward or forward when the steering stem A receives a jolt. The spring H will absorb the shock, if the olt be of a horizontal nature, while the spring M will absorb the shock if it be vertical.

I claim 1. A shock absorber for the handle bars of motor cycles and the like comprising rigid arms projecting from steering stem and handle bar, a bent lever pivotally con nected to the steering stem and at its upper end to the handle bar, a spring connection between the ends of said arms and a spring connection between the steering stem arm and said bent lever.

2. In motor cycles, a crown cap to the steering stem, a tiller projecting from the crown cap, a bent lever centrally fulcrumed on the crown cap, a. handle bar attached to the upper end of said lever, and a spring between the lower end of said bent lever and the tiller to absorb horizontal shock, as herein set forth.

3. In motor cycles, a crown cap to the steering stem, a lever fulcrumed on the crown cap, a link pivoted on the same center as the lever, a socket adapted to receive the cap, a handle-bar socket with projecting arm, articulated to the bent lever, and springs to absorb horizontal and vertical shock, as and for the several purposes specified.

5. In motor cycles, in combination, a crown cap to the steering stem, a bent lever fulcrumed on the crown cap, a tiller to the steering stem, a link pivoted to the crown cap, means for adjustably clamping together said link and tiller, a handle bar socket with projecting arm articulated to the bent lever, and springs to absorb horizontal and vertical shock as and for the purposes specified.

6. I11 motor cycles, appliances for mounting av spring to absorb shock, comprising in combination arms projecting from steering stem and handle bar, means connecting said stem and handle bar, the handle bar being pivotally attached thereto, a pair of side cheeks pivotally mounted upon a pin attached to the lower of said arms, a roller upon said pin between said cheeks, a slotted member adapted to support said spring and transmit the force therefrom downward to said roller; lugs upon the upper ends of-- JOHN PERCY MAoLEAN.

W'itnesses:

A. MASSE, H. C. CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

